


A Real Smile (Day 5 of the Azulaweek 2020 Prompt: 'Smiles')

by gemsofformenos



Series: My Works for Azulaweek 2020 [5]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Azula earns genuine smiles and likes it, Azulaweek2020, Gen, Loss of Identity, Memory Loss, Smiles, finding a purpose
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-10
Updated: 2020-07-10
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:29:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,716
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24876199
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gemsofformenos/pseuds/gemsofformenos
Summary: Azulaweek 2020 Day 5 (Smiles): Joo Dee has no clue why she was summoned to be here at the Royal Palace in the Fire Nation, but it must be something important since the Fire Lord and his sister honors her with their presence.
Series: My Works for Azulaweek 2020 [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1818124
Comments: 8
Kudos: 28





	A Real Smile (Day 5 of the Azulaweek 2020 Prompt: 'Smiles')

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everybody. This one continues the idea from Day 3 and it adds a character I instantly had in mind at the word ‘Smiles’. I wish all of you a lot of fun with this story.

This place was so unfamiliar to her and at the same time it was so similar to the place she used to know. In the end it was a palace and as a humble servant it was a great honor to be send to the Fire Nation. Joo Dee didn’t know why she was send here and why she was welcomed and handled with this exceptional friendliness and care, but the way everyone seemed to be so busy to read her wishes confused her and made her feel uneasy and nervous.

It wasn’t the way a servant of the city should be treated.

It wasn’t right.

She shouldn’t be treated like an ambassador, but here she was.

Joo Dee dared a shy closer look at the room she has been brought to and a nervous shudder prickled down her spine. It was a luxurious room with high windows, flooded by sunlight, which was highlighting the rich fabrics in crimson red and gold of the carpets, the curtains and the couches and the bed. The wooden furnishings were in a deep mahogany and fine crafted carvings were to be found on it.

No this didn’t felt right to her. Joo Dee might have accepted it to be an assistant of an ambassador, it would have fit to her rank as a humble servant, but this definitely wasn’t her place.

Or was it her place…?

Sometimes she wasn’t so sure. It has been years that the Ba Sing Se has found a use for her or for most of her sisters. Times had been so confusing without the guiding light of the Dai Li. She had nightmares and weird dreams from things and events she couldn’t really remember. Her sisters suffered the same. There was no goal in their lives, no one seemed to need their duties anymore and out of sudden she was brought away from their sisters and suddenly treated like a princess and brought to the Fire Nation.

Joo Dee felt her chest tightening. A sudden sickness was growing in her stomach and she sunk deeper in the cushions on the couch. Panic was rising cause she vague remembered sisters disappearing before. She remembered that sisters have been brought away and none of them have ever returned or at the rare cases they have none of them have been the same.

But who was she to disobey when the city was asking her to do her duty. She had no choice but to be the humble servant of the city.

Joo Dee’s face lost some color and she took a shocked breath at the gentle knock at her door. A part of her mind was screaming in fear to run as fast as she could until it would be too late but Joo Dee had to obey. It was not about her, it was all about the Earthkingdom and Ba Sing Se. And so her body reacted due to the program.

Joo Dee stood up, corrected her robe and took a breath to give her voice the friendliness, dignity and enthusiasm which was demanded from her. She walked over to the door and opened it.

It took all her focus not to stumble backwards but she managed to bow as deep as possible at the sight of the man and the woman waiting before the door. The man was high grown with a grim burning mark on the left side of his face and his look was serious. The woman was much smaller, even smaller than Joo Dee, but the face, which was framed by two bangles of her dark hair looked as serious as the one of the man and her golden eyes seemed to look right into Joo Dee’s soul. Both were radiating authority, but it was the crown pieces at the top knots of the Fire Lord and his sister, which triggered the reaction to welcome the royals with all the respect and dignity which was necessary in order not to put shame on the Earthkingdom.

“My apologize for letting the Fire Lord and his honorable sister wait. I am Joo Dee and I was given the honor to be send here as a humble servant of the city to…”

Joo Dee hesitated. Why was she send here? No one has told her and it wasn’t her right to question why, but how could she serve the city right, when no one has explained her her duties here. Cold sweat started to come to her forehead and she could feel that she was starting to tremble but to her most shock she felt to hands carefully touch her at her shoulders and she was straighten up carefully. She faced a warm smile and a sad flicker in the golden eyes of the Princess.

“It’s okay. Take a seat please. I’ll explain you why you’re here.”

Joo Dee bowed nervous again and returned to the couch. She gasped in shock as The Fire Lord simply took place at another one. Her confusion and worries grew even more as a servant entered the room to place some tea on the table and her mouth stood agape as she witnessed Azula sending the man away and started to prepare the tea. 

“I hope you like jasmine tea. It is a recipe of my uncle with some lemon grass, ginger and a little pinch of honey.”

Joo Dee was about to stand up again to do the preparations. 

It wasn’t right, that the Princess would prepare a humble servant a tea. 

It wasn’t right that the Fire Lord has to watch such an insult to let his sister preparing her a tea. She was bringing shame to her city.

Azula must have guessed her impulse cause she just raised her hand and this little order was enough to keep Joo Dee at place, but the woman noticed the sad look the Fire Lord and his sister were sharing for a brief moment. It took Joo Dee all of her will to endure this moment until Azula has served all of them a cup of tea. She nearly jumped up again as the Princess took place beside her but one look of her signaled that she seem to want her stay at the couch and so she obeyed. Zuko and Azula took a sip of the tea and Joo Dee did the same.

She hated the tea. The ginger was too spicy for her taste and the jasmine and honey didn’t hit her taste but she smiled it away and nodded in approval.

“I am honored, the tea is excellent.”

The warm smile from Azula was sending a strange shiver down her spine. The Princess placed her cup on the table and observed Joo Dee for a moment. Joo Dee was smiling back the way she has learned to do in such cases and waited. The moment was most uncomfortable, but suddenly Azula shared another sad look with her brother before she turned back to Joo Dee.

“Why do you think you’re here?”

The smile of the woman faded and she started to tremble a bit. She didn’t know, but what should she say. She would put shame on the city if she couldn’t answer this simple question. She nearly jolted up as Azula placed a soothing hand on her leg. It seemed to be a big struggle for the Princess to do so as well.

“Don’t worry. Please answer the question with all the honesty you have.”

The breath of the woman got heavier and her voice was shaky as she answered.

“I… I don’t know. I was brought here but no one has told me why and… and… I… I’m not… allowed to question decisions…”

Azula nodded with a sad smile.

“Don’t worry. You’re a honoring your city with your presence and your honesty.”

A sigh of relief escaped Joo Dee’s throat. She dared to smile back to Azula and something in this smile seemed to light a fire in Azula’s eyes. The Princess leaned back at the couch.

“Do you remember me Joo Dee?”

The woman nodded instantly.

“You are Princess Azula of the Fire Nation. You have conquered Ba Sing Se and I was given the honor to represent your government of the city.”

Joo Dee felt new worries rising cause she could see Azula pressing her lips together as she mentioned this moment. Maybe she had done something wrong during this time. Or now? Would she await punishment?

Another warm smile from the Princess managed to push away some of these worries.

“Correct, that’s why I have asked for your presence here. I want to reward all of you for your services for the city and the kingdom and I need your help to do so.”

The face of the Princess got darker for a moment and she faced the table.

“I know how it feels when you have to give more than you should. I have done so a lot in my life.”

Joo Dee felt a strange tickle running down her spine. She noticed the Fire Lord standing up and taking one of his sisters hands to squeeze it. Azula gave him a thankful smile and he took place again but his look keeps resting worried on his sister.

“I know how it feels when your mind is messed up and when things which are right or wrong seem to blur.”

Her look became determent, but still warm as she faced Joo Dee’s nervous smile.

“And because I have to start somewhere I decided to start with you, Sung-Hi.”

It was like a hot sting in her brain and Joo Dee hissed in pain as she pressed her hands at her temples. She suppressed the scream, but couldn’t prevent a tortured whimper. It took some moments until the pain faded and shock was claiming her again as she noticed that Azula was holding her. She jumped up this time and pressed herself on the ground in panic about this incredible insult but Azula walked to her again and lifted her up carefully. The lip of the princess was jerking slightly and her eyes seemed to be a bit glossy.

“I know how it feels not to be yourself anymore and that’s why I choose to help you and your sisters.”

Joo Dee looked at her in confusion. This name… she remembered dreams where someone has screamed this name… to… her?

“I… won’t disappear…? Like… some of my sisters…?”

Azula shook her head. Joo Dee heard the Fire Lord inhaling sharp in the background. Azula’s brother was obviously struggling with his rising anger, but he managed to keep calm.

“No, we want to help you. I want to help you. You wasn’t always Joo Dee. You have been someone else before and no one had the right to take this person away from you and I want to find a way to help you finding this person again.”

Joo Dee felt tears coming to her eyes. It was a shame to cry before such noble persons as a humble servant, but she couldn’t stop her tears from running down her cheeks.

“But what… what would be my duty…?”

Azula took a deep breath to keep herself composed.

“To listen to yourself what you want and to find out what you like. This can be a start to find your way back to yourself. It is for me and we will try to help you finding your way back.”

Joo Dee still noticed that Azula’s hands had formed fists. The Princess obviously had to struggle to keep herself composed. A voice in her head still screamed to end this, cause it was shameful to act this way as Joo Dee, but she also noticed this little whisper which was thankful for this offer. 

It felt nice. 

It gave her… hope.

“But where should I start?”

It felt so wrong to ask this question, but obviously she has done something right, cause this fire Joo Dee has noticed before returned to Azula’s eyes and a smirk came to the Princess lips. She nodded at the table with Joo Dee’s half-filled cup of tea.

“Maybe start with finding a tea which would hit your taste.”

Joo Dee blushed deeply. Obviously she has failed to hide the fact that the this one wasn’t her cup of tea. But the impish smile at Azula’s face managed to elicited a little chuckle from her. And this chuckle felt so refreshing. Azula gave her a warm smile.

“Now take some rest. The servants will serve dinner in two hours. You’ll be our guest for some time.”

The Fire Lord stood up and Joo Dee bowed thankful before Zuko and Azula. Both were about to leave as a shy cough made them stop at the door.

“May… May I ask if the Princess and the Fire Lord would be present at dinner as well.”

Azula shook her head and Joo Dee’s face fell a bit but a smirk from Azula and Zuko rolling his eyes confused her. Azula chuckled a bit, but her voice was warm as she answered.

“No, but I can assure that Zuzu and I will be there.”

The answer brought a genuine smile to Joo Dee’s lips. She wasn’t sure but she noticed a warm smile around Azula’s lips as the Princess left her room.

* * *

Azula went quiet at their way to the gardens. Zuko observed her all the way but after a while he laid his arm around her shoulders. To his surprise Azula made no remark at this gesture, she simply leaned her head at his shoulder. He felt the urge to say something, but decided otherwise and his instinct was right.

“Thank you, Zuzu.”

He pulled her a little closer.

“Have you seen her fear? There are so much more of them. The Dai Li has buried the persons they have been before and now, since there is no use for them anymore they just exist. No one cares. They have taken all from them.”

Zuko stopped and gave her a kiss on her head.

“Wrong Azula. You care. And I couldn’t be more proud of you.”

Azula’s smiled for a moment, but it faded and she stared at a wall of the hall.

“I know how she feels. When your own personality has slipped. When your mind got twisted and lead the wrong way. I cannot stand beside. It doesn’t feels right to do so.”

Zuko turned her head up so she could face his proud smile.

“Have you seen her smile? Not the Joo Dee smile, the real one in the end?”

Azula smirked, but she was blushing a bit.

“Of course I have Dum-Dum.”

Zuko quoted the insult with a chuckle. Azula hugged her brother for a moment before both continued their walk towards the gardens. 

“There is still so much to do. We need to consult the doctors and I think we should talk with Aang and Katara when they’ll visit next week. Toph has already started to get the files from the Dai Li archives. They have tried to destroy most of it, but it may be something left we can use to find out more names of them. They may have families which are searching for them. And they might need education and jobs. I’ll talk with uncle about his plans of expansion with his tea shop. Maybe we can manage to fund a job program for them.”

Azula stopped again and the fire in her eyes gave Zuko a warm feeling in his belly.

“This real smile of her Zuzu. I think I never saw people smiling at me this way before. So pure. I always felt I owe someone something since you brought me back and now I think this could be the answer.”

Zuko just hugged her tight as an answer.

“Then let me assist you to earn much more of these smiles for you Azula.”

Azula felt this new fire burning stronger. It was still strange and new for her and she could still feel old doubts and lessons in her mind, but she has learned to trust this new feeling. That’s why she was sure that she would be the perfect one to help Joo Dee. To help all Joo Dees.


End file.
